There are a multitude of devices and techniques for creating digital representations of images. For example, digital images of physical objects can be created using digital imaging devices such as digital cameras, scanners, and radars while computer graphics and imaging programs directly generate digital images. Regardless of source, a digital image is commonly arranged as a 2-dimensional (2D) array of pixels. Each pixel of an image has a specific position and a value. For example, the value of a red-green-blue (RGB) color digital image pixel is commonly represented by a triplet of values, one for each of the red, green or blue color channels. The raw pixel data generated by digital imaging devices and computer graphics is typically converted and stored as a digital image file.
There are many different types of digital image file formats. Some common examples of digital image file formats include windows bitmap (bmp), graphics interchange format (gif), exchangeable image file (exif), RAW image format (RAW), and portable network graphics (png). Another commonly used file format is the Tagged Image File Format (TIFF). Two of the most commonly used formats are the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) and a new wavelet-based compression technique referred as JPEG2000. Many of these digital image file formats include some method of either lossy or lossless compression of the images to reduce the amount of memory necessary to store the image and the bandwidth consumed during transmission of the image.
Some of the challenges in storing and transmitting digital image files is balancing the desire for reduced image file size against the need for higher resolution and 1197899 thus, additional information. Lossless compression techniques can only reduce the overall file by a finite amount. Therefore, many digital image file formats compress images using a lossy compression technique by reducing and eliminating the rapidly changing or high frequency components of the image. The elimination of these rapidly changing elements may result in blurring of images and other negative effects, particularly high frequency information as might be generated by text or other line art present in the digital image.
A second challenge in storing and transmitting digital image files may be the presence of incompatible digital image file formats. Typically a digital image is first encoded to a digital image file using an encoder. After the digital image file is generated it must be decoded by a decoder prior to being rendered for either viewing or printing. Incompatibilities between digital file formats and decoders may render digital image files unreadable on many computers and reduce the prevalence and portability of different types of digital images files.
Therefore, there is a need for a method, process, and system for embedding high frequency image images into an image file that remains compatible with existing image rendering systems while providing additional image resolution when rendered with a compliant viewer.